Folding box.



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No. 670,6l2. P-atefmd Mar. 26,. lam. F. H. HousuLANn,y v

FDLDING BOX.

(Application med me. 22, 1900 (No Modal.) .y

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No 6 .F. H. H ouGHLANn. a e" e a' FOLDING Box.

l (Application med nee. 22. 1900.) (Nq Model.) A 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK II. IIOUGHLAND, oF sr. LoUIs, MISSOURI.

FOLDING BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 670,612, dated March26, 1901.

Application filed December 22, 1900. Serial No. 40,802-` (No model.)

To all whom it nfl/ty oon/cern:

Beit known that I, FRANK H. HOUGHLAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Folding Boxes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improvement in boxes which are capable of beingshipped fiat and yet be allready to be placed in conditi-on to hold thearticle or articles to be contained by them; and my desire is to providea box of this character which while being very readily collapsed will belocked in its box shape by the article it contains.

My object is attained by the box shownin the accompanying drawings, fromwhich it will be seen that in addition to inventing a box filling thisrequisition I have also produced one in which the inside of the box isperfectly plain, with no locks or places for the goods to catch, andthereby pull the box apart or collapse it. v

My invention therefore consists in the peculiar constructions andarrangements of parts hereinafter described in detail and thendefinitely set forth by the claims at the end hereof.

In the accompanying drawings, which show several ways of carrying out myinvention, Figure l is a perspective of the box in position for use withthe parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the body of thebox partly collapsed,w'ith the near side thrown outward instead ofinward, with portions of the locking-strip broken away. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view, on asmaller scale, of the box collapsed. Fig.`1.1 is a cross-section on line w of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of one end of the box partially folded, with the locking-stripthrown up and broken away. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the blank. Fig. 7 isa detail section showing a modified form of securing the locking-stripto the end of the box. Fig. 8 is a perspective of another modified formin which the lockingstrip is slipped into position instead of beingcemented to the box. Fig. 9 is a section of the same; 'and Fig. l0 is aperspective view of a modification of the box thrownV partly open, withthe locking-strip extending from side to side instead of from end toend, as in the other figures.

Referring now to the details of lsaid drawings .by numerals, 1represents the box shown in position for use in Fig. l and the mainblank in flat form in Fig. 6. first to the blank, the large part in thecenter (marked 2) represents the bottom, the'parts marked 3 andi theends, and those marked 5 and 6 the sides. Between each side and each endat each corner of the box are two parts, (marked 7 and '73,) which arearranged Referring at 10, which is arranged with creases 10a therein, soas to fold into the bottom of the box, and thus form a supplementalbottom 10b and supplemental ends 10c and lock the box in position foruse, as seen in Fig. l. It will be evident that as this locking-strip isattached to the .box at the top of its ends the more pressure that isplaced on it the more tightlyit will be pressed against the main bottom2. After this boxis in position for use and itis desired to collapse itthe operator must place his fingers under the supplemental bottom l0band spring it upwardly, when it can be made to assume the position shownin Fig. 2, and if pressure be exerted inwardly o'n the sides 5 and 6these sides willbe caused to fold flat against the main bottom 2, andthe ends 3 and 4 will fold outwardly and downwardly unitl they and thebottom 2 are dat and in a straight line, when the locking-strip l0 willalso be fiat and cover the whole collapsed box from oneend to the other,the sides folding yinwardly under the locking-strip, as beforedescribed.

The foregoing is a description of my box in its simplest form; but tostrengthen the box I fold the reinforcing-flaps 9 over on thesides TOO 5and G, and may further strengthen these sides by inserting under saidiiaps 9 stiffening-strips 1l. (Glearlyshown in Figs. l and 4.) It willbe observed that when the lockingstrip is in position it completelycovers the folding parts 7 and '7a and the bottom edges of these strips11 and that the upper edges of the latter are covered by flaps 9.

It will be evident that many modifications and variations may be madeand still retain the essence of my invention-f. e., the locking-strip,which is sprung within the box and constitutes a supplemental bottom.For instance, a simple variation may be made by leaving thepasting-flaps 8 8 off of the body of the box and forming theirequivalents 8a on the locking-strip, as shown in Fig. 7.

A further modification may be made, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, whereinthe lockingstrip is made of the shape shown in perspective View, withthe iiaps 8b simply slipped in the pocket between the ends and thefolded parts. In this form the stiifeningstrips 1l are dispensed withand one side of the locking-strip is formed with an integralstiffeningstrip ll, On the other side of the box the side is extendedand forms a cover l2. Vhen this forni of lockingstrip is used, nopasting or other similar method of fastening is neces sary, as actualpractice has convinced me that if -the flaps Sb are inserted within thefolds the desired purpose is effected. Therefore in the following claimswhere I use the term attached I mean the locking-strip to be attached atits opposite edges by cementing, as in Fig. l, or by being inserted in apocket-for instance, as in the figures just described.

A further modification is shown in Fig. 10, which is especially adaptedfor boxes which are deeper than they are wide, and in this case thelocking-strip 13 is secured to the Sides le, and instead of the parts 15of the blank between the sides 14rand ends 16 folding at the ends, as inFigs. l to 9, they fold on the sides, as in Fig. 10.

All the reinforcing and stiffening pieces hereinbefore described may beomitted, if preferred; but for boxes intended to contain heavy goods,such as shoes, I deem the use of them as decidedly advantageous.

It is obvious that further modifications and omissions may be made, solong as the essential features of my'invention are retained.

The cover of my b'ox is made in exactly the same way as the first formof box described herein-that is, like the box shown in Figs. l and 4,with the stiffening-strips left out; but as the cover looks exactly likethe box, except as to its proportions, it is unnecessary to illustrateit. Therefore in the following claims when I refer to the term box Iintend the claims to cover the box or its cover if made as defined bysaid claims.

What I claim as new is l. A folding box comprising a bottom, sides andends, and a single locking-strip having two of its edges attached to thebox and arranged to be bent or creased intermediate of its opposite endsattached to the ends of the box and arranged to be bent or creasedintermediate of its attached edges and crowded down intothe box andagainst its bottom and thus lock the box in position for use,substantially as described.

4. In a folding box comprising a bottom, sides and ends, the partsconnecting the sides and ends folding inwardly on themselves, and asingle locking-strip having its opposite ends attached to the ends andentering between said ends and said folded parts, the body of thelocking-strip being arranged to be bent or creased intermediate of itsattached edges and crowded down into and against the bottom and therebylock the box in position for use, substantially as described.

5. A folding box comprising a bottom, sides and ends, the partsconnecting the sides and ends folding inwardly on themselves and thusforming pockets in opposite ends of the box, and a locking-strip havingits ends entering these pockets and its body adapted to fold into thebox against the bottom thereof and thereby lock the box in position foruse, substantially as described.

6. A folding box comprising a bottom, sides and ends, the partsconnecting the sides and ends folding inwardly on themselves and thusforming pockets in opposite ends of the box, and a locking-strip havingits ends entering these pockets and its body adapted to fold into thebox against the bottom thereof and thereby lock the box in position foruse, the said locking-strip being provided with an integralreinforcing-strip, substantially as described.

7. A folding box comprising abottom, sides and ends, one of the sideshaving a cover formed integral therewith, and a single locking-striphaving its opposite ends attached to the ends of the box and arranged tobe bent or creased intermediate of its attached edges and crowded downinto the box and against its bottom and thus lock the box in positionfor use, substantially as described.

8. Afolding box comprising a bottom, sides and ends, the partsconnecting the sides and ends folding inwardly on themselves and thusforming pockets in opposite ends of the box,

IOO

IIO

one of the sides being formed with an integral in the presence of twoWitnesses, this 20th cover, and a, locking-strip having its ends endayof December, 1900. l tering these pockets and its body ladapted to foldinto the box against the bottom thereof FRANK H' HOUGHLAND 5 and therebylook the box in position for use, Witnesses:

substantially as described. LOUIS ROSENTHAL,

In testimony whereof I afx my signature, A. SELIGMAN.

